Graphical user interface for generic listing of managed objects

Abstract

Methods for efficiently filtering and sorting a large number of managed objects of different object types are presented. A single context-sensitive listing form is employed, the operation and display of which changes dynamically according to the selection of a target object. Whenever the user changes the selected target object, the items of a list type menu change to display the applicable list types. An action menu and/or a context-sensitive tool bar changes based on the selected target object to provide quick access selected object type specific actions. The solution allows users to paste objects into the listing form, perform complex filtering based on the object type used, provide a quick assessment of list filtering effectiveness, and invoke appropriate actions on managed object hits. Advantages of the solution include enhanced complex context-sensitive filtering and sorting capabilities, improved performance in dealing with large lists as well a reduction in window management.

1 . A generic graphical user interface for identifying a plurality of managed objects corresponding to a plurality of field installed managed entities of a communications network and for interacting therewith in a communications network management and service provisioning context brokered via a network management system, the graphical user interface comprising: 
 a. a context sensitive listing pane for listing managed objects further comprising: 
 i. target object specification means for specifying the scope of a list of managed objects to be obtained;  
 ii. a list type specifier for selecting a managed object type for the managed objects in the list to be obtained;  
 iii. a filter pane for optionally specifying filtering criteria for refining the list of managed objects to be obtained;  
 iv. listing functionality invocation means for obtaining the list of managed objects; and  
 v. a results pane for displaying the list of managed objects obtained from one of a managed object server and a network management database; and  
   b. a menu bar providing access to graphical user interface functionality, the menu bar including at least one context sensitive menu having at least one list-type-selection-specific menu item providing selective access to listed managed-object-specific functionality.    
   
   
       2 . A graphical user interface as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the graphical user interface comprises a plurality of context sensitive listing panes, the graphical user interface comprising a split pane for selectively displaying the plurality of context sensitive listing panes, the split pane having a splitter bar for selectively displaying at least one visible context sensitive listing pane.  
   
   
       3 . A graphical user interface as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein each one of the plurality of context sensitive listing panes comprises a tabbed context sensitive listing pane having a tab identifying the corresponding context sensitive listing pane, interacting with the context sensitive listing pane tab bringing the corresponding context sensitive listing pane into focus.  
   
   
       4 . A graphical user interface as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the context sensitive listing pane tab further comprises: 
 a. a context sensitive listing pane desctructor widget for closing the corresponding context sensitive listing pane; and    b. a progress status indication widget for indicating whether compiled list results of the managed object list are still in the process of being obtained irrespective of whether the corresponding context sensitive listing pane is visible.    
   
   
       5 . A graphical user interface as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the target object specification means further comprises a target managed object specifier for specifying a target managed object defining the scope of the list of managed objects to be obtained.  
   
   
       6 . A graphical user interface as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the target managed object specifier further comprises a paste-in button for specifying the target managed object, and a human-readable managed object specification field for displaying a human-readable specifier associated with the selected target managed entity.  
   
   
       7 . A graphical user interface as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the target managed object specifiable via the target object specifier is one of an elemental target managed object and a complex target managed object, the elemental target managed object corresponding to a single field installed managed entity, the complex target managed object corresponding to a group of a plurality of field installed managed entities.  
   
   
       8 . A graphical user interface as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the target object specification means further comprises a range of objects pane for displaying therein a list of target managed objects of interest, the selection of an element from the displayed list of target managed objects specifying the scope of the list of managed objects to be obtained.  
   
   
       9 . A graphical user interface as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the list type specifier further comprises a context sensitive menu providing a selected target-managed-object-dependent group of managed object types.  
   
   
       10 . A graphical user interface as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the filter pane further comprises a context sensitive tabulated list of filter criteria including at least one filter row for an attribute associated with managed objects specified via the list type specifier.  
   
   
       11 . A graphical user interface as claimed in  claim 10 , the filter pane being further configured to cause one of selectively adding, and selectively deleting, a filter row for each attribute associated with managed objects specified via the list type specifier.  
   
   
       12 . A graphical user interface as claimed in  claim 11 , the filter pane being further configured to cause one of saving filter criteria as default filter criteria for the type of managed objects currently specified via the list type specification, storing filter criteria for the type of managed objects currently specified via the list type specification, loading filter criteria for the type of managed objects currently specified via the list type specification.  
   
   
       13 . A graphical user interface as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the listing functionality invocation means further comprises one of an obtain a hits count button, a make entire list button, a make paginate list button, and a stop list button.  
   
   
       14 . A graphical user interface as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the results pane displays a tabular representation of the list of managed objects obtained, the results pane further comprising a context sensitive results pane configured to cause the selective display of a group of list-type-specified managed-object-specific attribute columns.  
   
   
       15 . A graphical user interface as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a hits count field displaying a number of managed objects in one of the managed object server and the network management database, managed objects specified via the list type specifier in the scope of the target managed object selection and matching the filtering criteria specified in the filter pane, the hits count being displayed before the compiled list of managed objects is obtained.  
   
   
       16 . A graphical user interface as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a context sensitive actions toolbar having at least one list-type-selection-specific button providing selective access to listed-managed-object-specific functionality.  
   
   
       17 . A method of identifying a plurality of managed objects corresponding to a plurality of field-installed managed entities of a communications network and for interacting therewith in a communications network management and service provisioning context brokered via a network management system via a generic graphical user interface to the network management system, the method comprising: 
 a. selecting a target managed object defining the scope of a list of managed objects to be obtained;    b. determining a group managed object list types corresponding to the target managed object selection;    c. selecting a managed object list type defining the type of managed objects to be listed;    d. optionally specifying filter criteria for refining the list of managed objects to be obtained;    e. displaying managed object list results obtained from one of a managed object server and a network management database; and    f. providing selective access to listed managed-object-specific functionality via at least one menu item of a context sensitive menu of the generic graphical user interface.    
   
   
       18 . A method as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein selecting a target managed object further comprises pasting-in a managed object identifier.  
   
   
       19 . A method as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein pasting-in the managed object identifier comprises pasting-in one of a managed object server identifier and a network management database identifier.  
   
   
       20 . A method as claimed in  claim 17 , further comprising invoking listing functionality for obtaining the list of managed objects.  
   
   
       21 . A method as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein invoking listing functionality further comprises: 
 a. submitting a query to one of the managed object server and the network management database, the query including the target managed object specification, the list type specification, and the filter criteria; and    b. receiving the managed object list results.    
   
   
       22 . A method as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein prior to receiving the managed object list results, the method further comprises receiving a hits count specifying the total number of managed objects in one of the managed object server and the network management database, managed objects specified via the list type selection in the scope of the target managed object selected and matching the filter criteria.  
   
   
       23 . A method as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein invoking the listing functionality further comprises one of requesting the hits count, all results, requesting a subset of the results, and terminating a previous request.  
   
   
       24 . A method as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein determining the group managed object list types corresponding to the target managed object selection the method further comprises: 
 a. consulting a specification of a managed object derivation hierarchy to obtain managed objects derived from the selected target managed object; and    b. providing a managed object list type selection for each derived managed object.    
   
   
       25 . A method as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein subsequent to selecting a managed object list type defining the type of managed objects to listed, the method further comprises providing a context sensitive filter row of a tabular filter criteria representation for an attribute of the type of managed objects specified via the list type selection.  
   
   
       26 . A method as claimed in  claim 25 , further comprising one of selectively adding and selectively deleting a filter row.  
   
   
       27 . A method as claimed in  claim 25 , further comprising one of saving filter criteria as default filter criteria for the type of managed objects currently specified via the list type specification, storing filter criteria for the type of managed objects currently specified via the list type specification, loading filter criteria for the type of managed objects currently specified via the list type specification.  
   
   
       28 . A method as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein displaying the managed object list results obtained, a results pane displays a context sensitive tabular representation of the obtained list of managed objects, the method further comprising selectively displaying a group of list-type-specified managed-object-specific attributes in corresponding columns.  
   
   
       29 . A method as claimed in  claim 28 , further comprising one of selectively removing and adding list-type-specified managed-object-specific attribute columns to the tabular representation of the listed results.  
   
   
       30 . A method as claimed in  claim 17 , further comprising selectively saving and selectively retrieving managed object list results.  
   
   
       31 . A method as claimed in  claim 17 , further comprising providing selective access to listed managed-object-specific functionality via a context sensitive actions toolbar having at least one list-type-selection-specific button providing selective access to listed-managed-object-specific functionality.